Can I Use Niacinamide After An AHA/BHA Peel?
One skincare ingredient that has gained significant popularity recently is niacinamide, which appears to be versatile and complementary to most potent active ingredients.
It is an ingredient that works well for most skin types, targeting breakouts, texture, tone, moisture, and fine lines.
With brands like The Ordinary, which promote simple ingredients that can be customized to individual needs.
Using multiple serums and peels seems to be the solution for pairing different ingredients into a skincare routine.
Knowing what products to pair with specific skincare treatments, like an AHA/BHA peel, which is a chemical exfoliant.
It is essential to avoid irritation and achieve the skincare results you desire.
A product like niacinamide can do just the job of enhancing and delivering benefits, while still being gentle on the skin.
However, can you use niacinamide after using an AHA/BHA peel?
Yes, niacinamide is compatible with many other skincare ingredients, including AHAs and BHAs. Spacing out the application timing of each will help avoid any possible skin irritation while allowing each product to absorb into the skin to deliver the best results.
Below, we’ll discuss in depth what niacinamide is, how it works with AHAs and BHAs, which ingredients to pair with it, and which to avoid.
What Is Niacinamide?
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3, and is also known as nicotinamide.
It is an ingredient found in various forms, ranging from certain foods to oral supplements to topical skincare treatments.
When incorporated into skincare products, niacinamide typically works best in serums, moisturizers, and face masks, as these formulations sit on the skin longer to allow the benefits to be fully absorbed.
Nicotinamide is a water-soluble ingredient that does not naturally occur in the skin, so incorporating niacinamide into your skincare routine will enhance your skin’s overall appearance.
As it is not naturally occurring in the skin, adding this ingredient to your routine will help boost the skin’s moisture barrier and encourage the development of keratin, giving a smooth, firm, and even appearance.
Niacinamide is an ideal skincare ingredient for all skin types, and it works particularly well with more oily to acne-prone skin types, as it provides moisture without being overwhelming.
It is a gentle enough ingredient that can be used both morning and night daily.
Even if your skin is sensitive to it, you can use it alongside many of your other favorite skincare products.
Here’s a great example routine for using niacinamide, specifically The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% from Melissa Van Dijk on YouTube.
Benefits Of Using Niacinamide
There are countless benefits to incorporating niacinamide into your skincare routine.
Niacinamide works as an anti-inflammatory, which helps to calm and soothe irritated skin and acne-prone breakouts.
It is an ideal product for oily skin and skin types prone to breakouts, as it helps control sebum production and minimize the appearance of enlarged pores.
By controlling sebum production and reducing pore size, skin prone to breakouts will look and feel more balanced.
Along with reducing breakouts, niacinamide also helps even out discoloration.
Niacinamide works to even out discoloration caused by sun damage, acne spots, and melasma by preventing pigment transfer throughout the skin.
Including niacinamide will help give skin a brighter, more even appearance with continued use.
Niacinamide also helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, smoothing your skin’s texture.
Niacinamide also encourages the production of ceramides in the skin, lipids that help protect the skin’s moisture barrier.
With ceramide and lipid production increased, moisture is well-retained and protected against transepidermal water loss.
This helps the skin look and feel hydrated and plump.
Boosting the moisture barrier, along with increased lipid production, will also help the skin appear firmer.
This, in turn, will minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in a smoother complexion.
In addition to being anti-inflammatory, niacinamide is an antioxidant that helps protect skin from harmful free radicals and other environmental aggressors that can cause breakouts, discoloration, or premature fine lines.
It adds moisture to the skin and blends well with other active skincare ingredients, making it an all-star ingredient worthy of all the buzz it receives.
Benefits Of AHA/BHA Peels
AHA and BHA ingredients are found in many facial cleansers, moisturizers, toners, and, most commonly, exfoliators and peels to achieve smooth, clear skin.
AHA stands for alpha hydroxy acid, while BHA stands for beta hydroxy acid.
AHAs work to exfoliate the top layer of the skin, while BHAs penetrate more deeply to exfoliate the inner layers.
Both acids work to target the same skin concerns: discoloration, clogged pores, breakouts, uneven texture, and fine lines.
How AHAs and BHAs target such concerns differ: AHAs are water-soluble ingredients that can remain on the skin’s surface to exfoliate.
BHAs are oil-soluble ingredients that can penetrate the skin’s surface to exfoliate. BHAs are oil-soluble ingredients that can penetrate the skin’s surface to exfoliate.
BHAs, on the other hand, are oil-soluble, and their smaller particles allow the ingredient to absorb deeper into the skin to exfoliate.
AHAs, such as glycolic or lactic acids, are ideal for counteracting fine lines, discoloration, and texture.
BHAs, such as salicylic acid or some citric acids, work best on oily skin types to unclog pores and prevent breakouts.
Both AHAs and BHAs are suitable for any skin type; however, as with any chemical exfoliator, they may make skin more sensitive or prone to dryness.
AHAs and BHAs also work well in tandem with one another, most notably seen in The Ordinary’s AHA 30% AHA + BHA 2% Peeling Solution.
The two acids target multiple layers of the skin, leaving a smooth, even, and clear complexion behind with each use.
Both acids are deeply exfoliating, revealing new layers of the skin.
It is essential to use SPF during the day and to follow up with products containing gentle, calming, and hydrating ingredients.
AHAs and BHAs are powerful chemical exfoliants, and in products like The Ordinary’s AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution, it is best not to overdo the application of it.
Incorporating a treatment like this once a week, depending on your skin type, will still provide the desired benefits, without stripping your skin of too much moisture.
Make sure to follow up with a hydrating product after using such a solution to preserve the results and help your skin look and feel its best.
Can Niacinamide Be Applied After AHA/BHA Peels?
Numerous skincare hero ingredients consistently garner buzz and major product highlights in the skincare world.
The newest, buzziest ingredients are constantly changing as innovative formulas are continually developed and discovered.
With all the chatter that surrounds some of these hero ingredients.
It may seem like we need to add everything to our skincare routine at once to take full advantage of each ingredient’s benefits.
As tempting as it may be to overhaul your entire routine to include each ingredient.
Certain products work well together, while others do not, and it is essential to research and understand the dos and don’ts before completely altering your routine.
So, do niacinamide and AHA/BHA peels mix?
Essentially, yes, niacinamide can be used after an AHA/BHA peel. However, AHAs, BHAs, and niacinamide generally target the same concerns and are all potent ingredients.
If you are not used to incorporating AHAs, BHAs, or Niacinamide into your skincare routine, using them all at once could cause added sensitivity or irritation.
The best way to use niacinamide, like The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum, is to apply it after washing away the AHA/BHA chemical peel and waiting about 30 minutes.
The waiting period allows the effects of the peeling solution to be absorbed, and the skin can calm itself.
It also allows the niacinamide serum to be thoroughly absorbed into the skin, enhancing its benefits.
If your skin is already on the sensitive side or isn’t used to these types of ingredients, it helps to adjust the days or times you use the products.
By alternating between your niacinamide product and your AHA/BHA solution, or by using the niacinamide in the morning and the AHA/BHA at night.
You allow your skin to adjust easily to both products without experiencing excess sensitivity until it has built up a stronger tolerance.
Can Niacinamide Be Used With Other Skincare?
Along with AHAs and BHAs, niacinamide is compatible with many other popular skincare ingredients.
Especially other active ingredients that target similar issues, such as discoloration or uneven skin tone.
Niacinamide is ideal to pair with salicylic acids or retinoids, as those ingredients can be aggressive on the skin and cause irritation.
Especially with retinoids, which are known to target fine lines and wrinkles and deeply exfoliate the skin, the skin can often feel irritated, dry, or sensitive.
Incorporating a niacinamide-focused product, such as a serum, can help reduce irritation, inflammation, or dry flakiness that may occur when starting a new retinoid product.
Similarly, salicylic acid targets acne, breakouts, and clogged pores, which can also irritate.
Using niacinamide alongside a retinoid or salicylic acid-based product will ease your skin into using these exfoliating ingredients, without compromising the results.
Hyaluronic acid is another ingredient that niacinamide works well with when paired together.
Both hyaluronic acid and niacinamide are humectants, meaning they absorb and retain moisture in the skin, enhancing the skin’s moisture barrier.
Using the two active ingredients together will deliver even more hydration to the skin.
Increasing the strengthening and protection of the skin’s moisture barrier to achieve a balanced feel and improve texture.
This is an ideal combination of ingredients for dry, dehydrated, or mature skin types.
Niacinamide also works well with peptides and ceramides, as they help improve skin appearance by increasing collagen production and cellular turnover.
Ingredients To Avoid With Niacinamide
While niacinamide tends to work well with most other active ingredients in your skincare routine, it is best to avoid mixing it with vitamin C.
There is debate about whether it is acceptable to pair the two ingredients; however, the general recommendation is to avoid mixing them.
Vitamin C and niacinamide are both antioxidants; using them together can make each less effective.
Because vitamin C is unstable, it can lose potency when combined with niacinamide.
Vitamin C is mainly used to brighten and even skin tone and complexion by reducing the appearance of dark spots and discoloration.
While niacinamide targets those concerns as well, pairing the two can also irritate, especially if you have sensitive skin.
Although it wouldn’t be particularly harmful to use both ingredients together, you may experience increased irritation and not see the results you’re looking for.
To get the most out of each of these ingredients, it is best to alternate their use.
Vitamin C works well during the daytime, paired with your facial sunscreen, and niacinamide can work well at night to calm and hydrate the skin.
Conclusion
Overall, niacinamide seems to be a superhero ingredient in skincare and is being incorporated into many moisturizers, serums, face masks, and more.
Being so versatile, targeting many skin concerns and working for almost all skin types, is an ideal ingredient to add to your skincare routine.
Whether you are looking to minimize texture, boost hydration without overwhelming oily skin, or help control breakouts, niacinamide seems to do the job without irritating or stripping the skin.
As with all skincare ingredients, knowing how they work and which ones pair best together helps create your perfect skincare routine.
However, no routine is complete without at least one or two treatment products that deeply exfoliate, penetrate, or address specific concerns in a more concentrated way.
AHAs and BHAs are chemical exfoliants that can be added to your routine to help ensure smooth, even, balanced, and clear skin from the comfort of your home.
Knowing the sensitivity of specific acids, along with other skincare ingredients like vitamin C, it is ideal to incorporate these new ingredients into your routine slowly.
As you discover which treatments, serums, and other active ingredients you like, the next step is figuring out how to pair them together.
While some skincare ingredients are more specific about what other products they work with.
Niacinamide is an ingredient that can easily slip into your routine and enhance the other products you use, especially those containing hyaluronic acid, lipids, or ceramides.
To avoid irritation and get the best results from each star ingredient, pair the products one at a time to see how they work together.
As well as your skin, respond to one another.
